Inequalities in self-assessed health in the Health Survey of England

Objective: To determine the level of health inequalities and decompose the factors that are associated with them, using different approaches based on the analysis of self-assessed health of individuals, and to assess the suitability of these methods. Methods: Data from the Health Survey of England 1996 are used. Ordinary least squares, interval regression and ordered probit models are used to establish the relationship between measures of inequality based on self-assessed health and on the EQ-5D index of health related quality of life. Decomposition analysis explores the factors that are associated with health inequality. Results: The interval regression approach provides the best match between results based on self-assessed health and those based on the EQ-5D index. Conclusions: Comparison of the results of the regression models shows that the interval regression can best explain inequality in EQ-5D, the model accounted for 43.9%. (155 Words